Cavitation & NPSH

Inside this lesson

Recall vapor pressure p_v as the pressure at which a liquid boils, and link it to Module 1
Explain why cavitation nucleates at the impeller eye (the lowest-pressure point), not the suction flange
Compute NPSH_available = h_surface − z_lift − h_L − h_v = (p_suction − p_v)/(ρg)
Distinguish NPSH_available (a property of the installation) from NPSH_required (a property of the pump)
Perform an NPSH margin check and state when a pump will cavitate

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Educational content covering topics typical of a first- and second-year mechanical engineering curriculum. Not a substitute for accredited coursework, and not suitable for real fluid-system design without review by a licensed professional engineer.